Our Family Tree
by PetitJ
Summary: Yes, Elizabeth Jane, or just Lizzie for short, was a very bright child. However, when the teacher made them draw something called a "Family Tree", she felt somehow puzzled. Who are Angela and Charlotte? Should she add their names in some branches since she heard her daddy talking about them so fondly? And most important, if they were part of the family, why haven't they met yet?


Hello my readers. Here I am again with another fanfic. It's in the same universe of "The Fear" but you can understand it perfectly without reading it first. I've had this idea in my mind since forever so I'm happy I've finally had the chance to write it. I hope you like it!

Thanks again to my lovely friend Wldwmn for being my beta :)

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><p><span><strong>About Family Trees<strong>

There wasn't any doubt that little Elizabeth Rose Jane was a very smart girl. She was only five years old, but she was proud to say she already knew how to read and write. Math was a little more difficult for her, but she had an excellent memory. She found it helpful, though sometimes it was annoying for the grownups that wanted deny the things they'd said. Perhaps it was because she supposed to be naive and somehow silly, or even because of her age and her tiny, fragile appearance.

Her mommy said she definitely got her daddy's brains, and her daddy said she got her mommy's "badassery". She wasn't very sure what the latter meant, but she supposed it was something good. After all, she loved her parents and she was proud of being like them. Yes, Lizzie, as everyone called her, was a very bright child. However, when the teacher made them draw something called a "Family Tree", she felt somehow puzzled

-All families are quite different; don't worry if your trees don't look exactly like your friends'- said Miss Tapia. -Some are big and some are tiny. Some have different branches but what matters is that they must be full of love.-

Lizzie looked at her friend Sarah's tree. She had lots of branches, since she had lots of older brothers. Then she saw the work of her other friend Ellie and noticed she had very few branches, since she lived with her mom and grandmother. Even Miss Tapia made one… well, actually two, connected by the branch where her name was since she was adopted.

It was a very easy assignment, but still Lizzie didn't feel like doing it. She knew she lived with her parents… but a few days ago, when they thought she wasn't paying attention (though she always was), she heard the names of two people she'd never met before.

She knew lots of people. There was Uncle Wayne and Auntie Grace and Ben, and also Maddie who was her best friend in the world. There was Uncle Cho, and Wylie and Michelle who were very funny. There was the man who her parents called Abbott and, of course, Grandpa Virgil.

However, when she heard them talking about someone called Angela and someone called Charlotte so fondly, like they were really part of their family, she wondered why she hadn't met them yet. They were important, she knew that for sure, but should she add some branches for them? Or maybe put their names in some flowers or clouds?

-What's wrong, Lizzie?- asked Miss Tapia when she saw she wasn't working.

-Nothing. I'm just a bit lost,- she replied, trying not to look too confused.

-It's okay. You can ask your parents to help you. The Family Tree Show-and-Tell is this Monday, so you have the entire weekend to finish it.-

Lizzie nodded, but she was a bit insecure and she didn't know why.

…well, she kind of did. When this Angela and Charlotte person were brought up in conversation, her daddy looked terribly sad.

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><p>-Hello my little Sweet Pea!- said Jane when he saw Lizzie coming out of the school. He knew that his daughter was developing some kind of complex about her height (like someone he knew), so he felt a bit proud when he realized that the only people she let her call her that were her parents. -How was your day, honey?-<p>

-It was good. We make drawings of trees- she said simply, as she took his hand. They started to walk home, Lizzie with a frown on her face.

-Well, that's…interesting?-

-I guess so…-

She wasn't telling him the whole story, and he didn't have to be a mentalist to see it. She talked (as always) all the way back home about the things she learnt or did at school. But she carefully avoided mentioning what they did in her art class. Something was bothering her and her brain wasn't giving her the answer she wanted. Since he also acted that way when he tried to solve a difficult problem, he let her be. At any rate, if she couldn't understand something, she would ask them sooner or later.

Still… it was kind of hard not to overreact and start to do cold readings of her.

They kept walking till they arrived to the small tea shop the Jane family now owned. After Lizzie's birth, Lisbon decided she didn't want to put her life at risk anymore. Since she started a relationship with him, she was being more careful with herself. There was always a chance, however, that she'd end up in a dangerous situation in the FBI. After some thought, they decided to go back to California and invest the money that Patrick still had (from his psych days) into a small business. They had more than enough for the rest for their lives, but Jane still felt it was somehow tainted. Besides, he wanted to do something more than just spending it, and his beautiful wife wouldn't just settle for a quiet life. She was addicted to hard work, as if raising the ball of energy that Lizzie wasn't enough already.

Anyway, Lizzie usually liked to spend some time there after school. She liked to memorize all the kind of tea they offered and even had the nerve to recommend flavors to the customers. Luckily, most of them found it cute. And the ones who didn't and thought it was annoying, well… Lisbon still had her gun somewhere.

-Honey, we are home!- said Jane cheerfully.

-Oh, hello!- she replied, smiling. She quickly finished the sale she was making, and then went to say hi to her much loved little family. She kissed Patrick, and took Lizzie in her arms and hugged her.

-How was your day, sweetie?-

Since Lizzie's answer was the same she gave her dad, Teresa gave her husband a worried glance. Thank God he could make her understand with a few looks that it was nothing terrible.

Even if her Mother Bear instincts started to kick in, she didn't say a word. It was hard, but experience had taught her that when you ignored them, a Jane would speak their mind without even being asked.

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><p>At the end of the afternoon, they closed the shop and started to walk back to their home by the seashore. Lizzie, as always, took her shoes off and ran a few steps ahead to collect seashells… and some good-looking rocks, too. Patrick and Teresa were happy to see her so cheerful, but they still knew that an important question was lingering in their daughter's mind.<p>

-Could you pray to that God of yours that it's not a question about how babies are made?-

-I don't think that's how it works,- Lisbon replied, rolling her eyes but letting out a laugh. -Besides, it's normal she wants to know. However, I don't think it's that. She would just have asked. She is too like you for her own good.-

-You got a point there,- he said. Suddenly, an uncomfortable thought hit him. -Do you think that someone in her school said something about… us?-

She looked back at him, obviously worried

-Wylie and Grace have tried to take down the online articles about… _you know,_ as much as they could. Besides, there are plenty of people with our last name in the state. And I think if she had really heard something, she wouldn't be so happy.-

-You're right, you're right. I just panicked for a second, that's all. It's not like I want to hide our pasts from her forever. It's just that it's better if she finds out about it from us than from an annoying kid in school.-

- I know. I'm afraid of the same thing,- she said, and took his hand. -But she's strong and smart, and when the day comes… hopefully she will understand that everything we did was for a very important reason.-

- I really hope so,- he replied, kissing her forehead. -It's just that I know it's a lot of take in. And that's without even starting to explain her about Angela and Charlotte…-

Teresa watched Jane stop in his tracks. His eyes went wide in sudden realization.

-What happened? Are you okay?-

-Lizzie mentioned something about making trees in her art class, right?-

-Yes, she did. Why?-

Jane sighed, and started walking again.

- Seems like Lizzie didn't only get my ability of asking uncomfortable questions.-

-What do you mean?-

-She also got my ability to sneak around without being noticed.-

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><p>Lizzie was playing with her new seashells (and deciding which ones she would give to Ben and Maddie) when she heard her parents calling her from the living room. She left her stuffed bunny to keep an eye on her newfound treasures, and ran to see what happened.<p>

-Hello, sweetie. Come here with us,- said Teresa from the couch. She was sitting there with Patrick; they were a bit anxious and her daughter noticed it. They reassured her quickly, however, with a loving look and a smile.

-So, my lovely Sweet Pea, you said today you made drawings of trees at school?- said Patrick, caressing her dark brown curls that were so much like her mother's. -Can you tell us more about it?-

Lizzie nodded and began explaining the assignment that was given to her. As they suspected, the class was making a family tree. However, Lizzie was careful not to elaborate too much why something like that puzzled her so much.

-Family trees can be confusing,- said Teresa casually. I bet each one in your class was different. Weren't they?-

-Yes, they were. Sarah's was big, Ellie's was little, and Miss Tapia made two!-

-That's nice! So, Lizzie, how was yours? I bet it was interesting, too.-

The little girl remained quiet, so Patrick and Teresa exchanged looks. They knew it was time.

-You see, daddy once had another tree. Different from the one he has now, where you and I are.-

Lizzie's eyes opened wide, surprised at her mommy's words.

-Is that possible?-

-Yes. It's just like Maddie and Ben's, sweetie. They share a daddy but they have different mamas. Maddie's mommy is Auntie Grace, and Ben's mommy is Sarah. You met her at the last Christmas party, do you remember? So, Uncle Wayne's name is in both trees, which is totally normal.-

-Oh, I see. But there's something I don't get,- Lizzie looked at Patrick. -Dad's name is in another tree, but where are the people who are also in it?-

-It's hard to explain to me so please listen carefully, my Sweet Pea. Are you paying attention?-

-Always!

-Okay…-

Jane breathed in deeply and tightened his hold of Teresa's hand.

-Once, daddy had another family. I had another wife named Angela and another daughter named Charlotte. This was a long time before I met mommy. Those are the names I know you heard the other day when we were talking.-

Lizzie blushed a little. She knew her parents didn't like when she eavesdropped on adult conversations, but she didn't feel like they were scolding her.

-I know you were afraid to ask about them, because you saw me so sad that day. Lizzie, I don't mind remembering them, not anymore. It's just that day was sad for me, because it was the anniversary of the day they went to Heaven.-

He still wasn't comfortable using religious analogies, but he had to admit that his vision about death might be too harsh for a five year old. Later she could decide for herself whether she wanted to follow her mother's beliefs or not. Besides, he wouldn't deny Teresa's right to share a religion so important to her with their daughter, just because he himself didn't believe in it.

-They are with my grandparents?-

-Something like that,- said Teresa, helping out Patrick who she saw was getting uncomfortable. -Unfortunately, Daddy's first wife and daughter died and they went to Heaven. When you're big enough we will explain more of it to you. Right now, all you have to know is that they were very dear to him, and losing them made your daddy very sad.-

-It was very sad. It really was. Luckily, a year after that I met your mommy and, little by little, I got better. I started to smile more. Then we had you, and I got happy again. But sometimes, when I remember the day they left, I still feel sad. Sorry if it scared or confused you, sweetie.-

-Oh no, Daddy. It's okay. It's okay, - exclaimed Lizzie, hugging him all of a sudden. -I'm so sorry you lost your first family!- Even though he felt his eyes tearing up a bit, she wasn't crying at all. She just held him tightly, trying to comfort him as much she could. Yes, definitely those were his wife's genes. So strong, and yet so kind and compassionate.

-Are you still sad? Do you miss them too much, Daddy?

-I'm not sad anymore. Your mommy helped me a lot with that,- he smiled at Lisbon fondly. That was an understatement but still true. -And yes I do miss them, even after all these years. But listen to me carefully. I never want you to think you are not as loved as your half sister was, or that I love your mother less than my first wife because I still miss them. I'm so happy to have you and your mom. Things worked out that way, but luckily I had the chance to build another tree. That's all.-

-What it matters is that it must be full of love. It doesn't matter where the branches come from,- Lizzie said, repeating her teacher's words.

-You're too wise for your age, kiddo,- he said, stroking her hair again and putting his other arm around Teresa, who was trying (unsuccessfully) to hide her tears.

-So, that it means that Charlotte and I are sisters like Ben and Maddie are siblings. Right?-

-Yes. Just that you both had the same dad and different moms.-

-Well that's cool! I always wanted to have a bigger sister! My friend Oliver has one and she is nice to us when we play at his house. She gives us ice cream and lets us use her computer!-

-Lizzie, you know you can't do those things with Charlotte…- Jane started, shaking his head sadly.

-Yes. Mommy explained me how Heaven works, but it's still nice to imagine how that would be. Besides, now I know where to put her on my tree. What was she like? Was she like me or more like her mama?-

Patrick sighed with relief. He was thankful that he was at the point where he could talk about his other little girl without feeling remorse, so Lizzie could know everything about her. He saw the excited pair of eyes in front of him, the same color as her half sister's, and proceeded to talk about Charlotte until Lizzie fell asleep in his arms.

He smiled as Teresa as they carried her back to her room. They tucked her in bed with her stuffed bunny, and stared at her for a while as they shared a look. They were both thinking the same thing: that they were blessed with a remarkable daughter.

The next day, Lizzie worked on her Family Tree. She made two big branches representing her parents, and flowers representing her aunts and uncles. Then she took her blue marker and next to her dad's name she drew little clouds with the names "Angela and Charlie" inside of them - and then added little stick figures of angels surrounding them.

Patrick knew it was a naïve way to explain his past and, as always, he thought he didn't deserve such consideration. However, he suspected that Lizzie might never get to know the more gruesome details regarding the loss of his first family… so it was a good thing she already had such a positive approach.

When her work was done, she proudly showed it to her parents. It was obviously the work of a five year old, but it was very cute.

-Maybe we should put it in a frame after you do your show-and-tell?- Jane said.

-You think so? It's not that pretty,- replied Lizzie a little shyly.

-It's beautiful, honey,- Teresa intervened. -We would love to see it every day. Besides, as you said, what really matters is that it's full of love. Right?-

As Lizzie nodded, Patrick couldn't agree more with his wife. Yes, that was all that mattered.

THE END


End file.
